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27
June 24, 2010
RCE
AIR F
Sp rt
CPL Craig Barnes
WHILE NSW and Queensland were bracing themselves
for the State of Origin rugby league series, airmen at Al
Minhad Airbase (AMAB) in the MEAO had something
to cheer about themselves.
A touch match was played at AMAB on May 25,
the day before the first big game back in Australia.
Queensland supporters will be very happy they got
up in the touch too, beating a NSW team 5-3.
Four teams actually competed in the tournament
-- two Queensland teams and two NSW teams who
played off for the right to represent their state in the
final.
When the games started at 5.15pm, the temperature
was still in the high 30s.
The Queensland fixture finished level at the end of
regular time resulting in the need for a drop-off to be
played.
After just four touches, Queensland 2 scored in the
corner to secure the victory and move to the final.
In the "Battle of the Blues", NSW 1
opened the scoring through quick hands to
score in the corner for what was to be the first
of their five tries. NSW 2 could only muster
two tries for the game, allowing NSW 1 easy
progress to the final.
The final was reminiscent of the real clash
and had all the right ingredients to make the
encounter a game to remember.
Queensland came out fast, crossing over for
two tries in the first few minutes. When they
stopped at half-time the temperatures still hov-
ering in the low 30s.
Queensland repeated the dose in the second
half.
Turning up
the heat at
Al Minhad
From Back Page
After the tri-service tourna-
ment, CDF ACM Angus Houston
announced that CAF AIRMSHL
Mark Binskin had committed to
fielding an Air Force women's team
in the 2011 Australian Services
Rugby Championships.
FLGOFF Quinn, who was elated
to play in the talented ASRU team
and experience competition at the
national level, is in no doubt that it
can be done.
"The prospect of having a full
Air Force Women's team run out on
to the field at next year's Australian
Services Rugby Championships is
incredibly exciting," she said.
"The only way we are going to
achieve that, however, is by get-
ting the word out there that, in my
opinion, this is one of the best team
sports out there.
"Air Force girls have definitely
been missing out on a great oppor-
tunity to represent their service.
"I've no doubt that the girls are
out there but we just need to get the
contacts going and let people know
who to contact and what events
(development camps, training ses-
sions etc) are happening in their
area.
"We've got a group of girls in
Wagga who are incredibly keen and
I'm hoping to hold a development
camp in August to help identify
and improve the skills of girls who
would like to play."
Boon for women's rugby
LACW Smyth hopes to be
involved in that development camp.
She's putting personal rugby goals
aside -- "I think I've probably
achieved enough lately," she said
with a laugh -- to concentrate on the
team Air Force goal.
WO2 Emmett said the ASRU
team's achievements were the result
of all the players, from whichever
service, coming together as a strong
cohesive unit and working together
for the common goal.
"This was a key aspect of our
preparation," he said.
WO2 Emmett has no doubt
that Air Force can do it too. He's
got another year to serve as ASRU
women's coach and said he wel-
comed the prospect of having more
players to pick from.
He certainly has the foundations
of a great team already. After stel-
lar performances for ASRU, Army
players loosehead prop LT Caroline
Vakalahi and No. 8/lock LT Kate
Porter were asked to train for the
Wallaroos team that will be named
later this month for the World Cup
in England in August. Both women
were in last year's team.
If interested in the women's Air
Force team, contact FLGOFF Margie
Quinn on (07) 4752 2201, margaret.
quinn@defence.gov.au
THE FOUR
PIONEERS:
The Air Force
players pose
together before
their last game
for ASRU
-- clockwise,
from rear
left, FLGOFF
Margie Quinn,
FLGOFF
Gabrielle Cook,
SQNLDR Mina
Roberts and
LACW Brimlea
Smyth.
Photo: LAC Leigh
Cameron
FAST BREAK: SGT Trent
McKellar streaks away for a NSW
try with, at right, referee SGT
Dave Chessell keeping an eye on
the action. Inset: SGT McKellar
with his triumphant opposing
skipper, SGT Dave Gass.
Photo: FLGOFF Michael Yeomans
State of Origin fever